Double-action relay



June 26, 1951 Filed April 5, 1949 R. E. WELLS DOUBLE-ACTION RELAY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 26, 1951 R. E. WELLS 2,558,067 DOUBLE ACTI ON RELAY Filed April 5, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SL\ E. 5-

o 4a,: 0 5m %W 7 Patented June 26, 1951 DOUBLE-ACTION RELAY Roy E. Wells, Seaforth, near Sydney, Australia Application April 5, 1949, Serial No. 85,541

' In Australia. April 14, 1948 This invention relates to a double action relay adapted to operate two separate sets of contacts adapted to remain in engagement under the action-of potential applied to a pulsing line.

An object of this invention is to provide a relay with double action under the influence of two sep parate coils which, when an impulse is passed over an impulse line, will operate two separate sets of contacts, both'sets of contacts remaining in engagement during the entire period of time that potential is applied to the pulsing line.

According to the invention when potential is disconnected, one of the said sets of contacts remains in engagement under the influence of a spring action, whereas the other set of spring contacts will become disengaged under the influence of their own spring resistance.

Upon potential being re-applied .to the same impulse line, the second of the said pair of coils will be energized and the contacts already held in contact under the influence of the said spring action, will be disengaged by the pull of this second coil and two other sets of contacts will now become engaged for that ,period'of time that potential remains applied to the impulse line.

When potential is disconnected one of this second two sets of contacts will remain engaged under said spring action and the other set of contacts will become disengaged under the influence of their own spring resistance.

The two coils mentioned are preferably of a solenoid type directly opposed to each other and with their cores connected by a rivet o pin so that the two cores-shall combine while travelling either in one direction or the other, according to which coil is energised.

In the course of the travel of the said cores the rivet or pin joining these cores, engages and'operates two U shaped slotted levers which are pivotally mounted on a spindle running parallel to and below the rivet or pin, the slot in oneof'said levers being so dimensioned as to give onlyslight clearance for the said rivet, whereas the slot in the other U shaped lever is dimensioned to :give appreciably larger clearance, so that the .rivet shall travel a certain distance before actual operation of the said other lever.

From this it will be understood that the U shaped lever with the wider slot will travel in each direction over an appreciably shorter arc than the U shaped lever with the narrow slot.

A protrusion or roller extends from each U shaped lever to operate two sets of contacts, and is so arranged that eachU shapedleveroperates 2 Claims. (Cl. 200-98) one set of contacts in each direction of travel accordingto which coil is energized.

Attached to the U shaped lever with the wider slot is a spring loaded extension piece, the springs of which are so arranged as to have maximum tension at that point where said U shaped lever is in the central position between the two coils, the said spring being mounted in such manner that, when the U shaped lever with the wider slot is moved 01f centre in either direction, the said spring will assist in applying pressure to force the said U shaped lever of]: centre and to hold it in that direction until such time as the said lever is pulled back across the centre line by the influence of the opposing coil.

The wiring of the contacts and coils is so designed that the impulse line is open to that coil which last operated, but, through the contacts held in engagement by the spring loaded extension piece, is closed to the opposing coil so that, when the potential is applied to the impulse line, that coil which did not operate on the last impulse will be energized and so pull both U shaped levers and, in doing so, it will close the contacts on the side where the U shaped lever has the narrow slot before breaking the opposing contacts, held by said spring loaded extension piece of the said lever with the larger slot.

In this way through hook-up contacts on the side of the U shaped lever with the narrow slot, the coil, at the time energized will remain so, until such time as the impulse line is open, and the contacts closed by the U shaped lever with the narrow slot, spring open.

At the same time the U shaped lever withthe wide slot will have been pulled over the centre line and, by the previously described spring action together with the pull of the solenoid, will have engaged its-contacts on the other side and also have so prepared the circuit to operate the opposite coil after the impulse line has first been opened.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating one form of the present invention with the lower solenoid energised.

Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 with the upper solenoid energised.

Figure 3 is a detail side view on line 33 of Fig. 1 with some of the parts omitted, illustrating the spring operated mechanism of the device 'shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 are, respectively, perspective views upon a frame I3, see Figure 3, and have a com- 7 mon plunger I4 which is slotted centrally and has a pin I5 disposed medially in said slot. 7

The frame I3 pivotally supports U shaped members I6 and II, the inner limbs I8 and I9 respectively of which are bifurcated to engage the pin l5, the bifurcated portion I8 of the U shaped member I6 approximates the diameter of the pin I5 but the bifurcated portion I9 of the U shaped member I1 is wider than the diameter of the said pin I5, and provides for lost motion or. delayed action when the pin I5 is moved relatively to the said U shaped member I'I, there being little relative movement between the U shaped member I6 and the pin I5 when the latter is moved in either direction by the plunger I4 due to operation of the respective solenoids I6 and I I.

. The outer ends of the U shaped members I6 and I1 have insulated rollers and 2| respectively mounted thereon and the said U shaped member II has a spring loaded tension piece 22 mounted on a frame pivot 23 and having transverse arms 24, the extremities of which latter engage loop springs 26 which are pivotally car-.

ried by the frame I3 and are engaged by notches 21 formed in said arms 24, 25. The U-shaped members I6 and H are shown at an enlarged scale in Figs. 5. and 4, respectively.

Figure 3 shows how the flexing springs 26 and the spring loaded tension piece 22 hold and tend to, force the U shaped lever Il off centre. The two springs 26 as illustrated are pivoted on the centre line of the spindle 23 on which the levers I6, I! are pivoted, so that the pivoting holes 28 of. the springs 26, the notches 2'! for the springs 26 in tension arms 24, 25 and the centre of the spindle 23 are all in line AB when the U shaped lever I! is in a neutral position. -\'As soon as the U shaped lever I1 is off centre in either direction, the springs 26 exert pressure onarms 24 01' 25 to force it positively off centre. The said insulated roller 26 is adapted to alternately operate a first and a second group of distributing contacts and the said insulated roller 2I is adapted to alternately operate a first and a second set of holding contacts.

The second impulse distributing contact group or bank cOmprises a single pole double throw spring contact 29 having an insulated pad which is in engagement -with roller 26 of the U shaped lever I6 and is disposed between a first stationary contact spring 36 and a second stationary contact spring 3I, said spring contact 29 being adapted toflengage a second insulated pad 51 disposed upon spring contact 32 and move it into engagement with a fixed contact 33 which is adapted to be connected to remote apparatus such as any signalling or recording device. The contact springs 29 to 33 are termed hereinafter the fourth set.

--'Ihe third set of the second impulse distributing contact group or bank comprises a single pole double throw spring contact 34 having an insulated pad 5I which is in engagement with theinsulated roller. 20 of the .U shaped lever I6 and is disposed between a first stationary contact spring 35 and a second stationary contact spring 36, said spring contact 34 being adapted to engage a second insulated pad 59 disposed upon spring contact 31 and move it into engagement with a fixed cont-act 38 which is adapted to be connected to remote apparatus referred to above.

In their normal position, the spring contacts 29 and 34 engage respectively the fixed contacts 30 and 35 and spring contacts 32 and 31 are out v of engagement with fixed contacts 33 and 38.

The first set of holding contacts comprises a spring contact 39 having an insulated pad 66 which is in engagement with the roller 2| and is adapted to be engaged with a fixed contact 46. A second spring contact II is engaged by an insulating pad 6I disposed to be operated by spring contact 39 and is adapted to engage with fixed contact 42, adapted to be connected to remote apparatus referred to above.

The second set of holding contacts comprises aspring contact 43 having an insulated pad 62 which is in engagement with the roller 2I and is adapted to engage with a fixed contact 44, a second spring contact 45 is engaged by an insulating pad 63 disposed to be operated by spring contact 43 and is adapted to engage with fixed contact 46 adapted to be connected to, remot apparatus referred to above.

In operation assuming that the mechanism :is in the position seen in Figure 1, an impulse is sent over conductor I2 to springs 29 and 34 to normally closed contacts 36 and 35 to conductors 41 and 48 to contacts 46 and-44.

Contact 44 is disengaged with its mating spring contact 43 because springs 26 through the extension 24, 25 are holding the wide slotted lever IT in an off centre position so that the roller 2I is holding contact spring 43 out of engagement with a contact 44.

In the case of the other circuit on conductor 41 to contact 46 it will be seen that contact is made through the normally closed contacts to spring 39 to conductor 43 to a terminal 50 of solenoid coil I0 thence to earth; said coil I0 becomes energized and pulls the plunger I4 together with pin I5 downwardly and said pin I5 in turn operates levers I6 and I1.

Because of the narrower slot in lever I6 engaged by the pin I5, the roller 26 engages the ressure pad 5I of spring 34 and breaks its contact with contact 35 and makes contact with contact 36 before lever I! with the wide slot is engaged by pin I5 and is moved so that its roller 2I allows the spring contacts 43 to engage contact 44 also before said roller 2I moves 39 out of engagement with 46.

It will be seen from this, that solenoid I6 is now provided by potential via conductor I2, spring contact 34, contact 36 and conductor 52 to terminal 56,. whereas solenoid coil II is deprived of potential at the open contacts 34 and 35.

Solenoid coil III will now remain energized as long as potential is applied to the pulsing line I2, but immediately potential is broken from line I2, solenoid coil I0 willbecome de-energized and release its pull on plunger I4 allowing lever I6 to return to a central position under pressure of contact spring 34 which will now open the contacts 34 and..36 and reclose contacts 34 and 35. However, now closed contacts 44 and 43 will remain closed and now open contacts 40 and 35 will remain open, under pressure of the springs 26 on extensions 24, of the wide slotted lever 11.

It will now be seen that when another impulse is received by conductor l2, see Figure 2, solenoid I0 is disconnected from potential by the open contacts and 39, also 34 and 36, whereas solenoid coil H received potential from conductor [2, contacts 34 and 35, conductor 48, contacts 44 and 43 and conductor 53 to terminal 54, and as the plunger I4 moves in the opposite direction and lifts spring 29 through lever I6 and roller 20 into engagement with contact 3|, then potential will be supplied to coil ll via conductor l2, contacts 29 and 3| and conductor to terminal 54 before contacts 40 and 39 remake or contacts 44 and 43 are broken by lever I1 and roller 2 I.

From this it will be seen that plunger 14 is operated by coils l0 and H in alternate directions for each impulse received on impulse line [2.

It will be understood that a plurality of spring contacts such as (32, 33), (31, 38), l-l, 42), and (45, 46) may be employed for various purposes such as operating, signalling and recording devices or starting and stopping motors or other electrical equipment.

It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims; for example, relay coils may be used instead of solenoids l8 and H, in which case the plunger 14 is replaced by an armature having extension pins on each side thereof in place of the pin 15 used on the plunger [4.

It will also be appreciated that the solenoid coils do not have to be arranged to pull in opposite directions as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 as they may, for example, be arranged side by side.

I claim:

1. A double action relay, comprising in combination, a first coil; a second coil arranged in alignment with said first coil; a plunger common to said coils and operable alternately in one and the other of two opposite directions according to the energization of said coils; a first spring-loaded lever pivotally mounted adjacent to said plunger and having a slot; a pin rigidly connected to said plunger and engaging the slot of said first lever for forcing the same off center in either of two directions according to the env second lever devoid of a spring load and pivotally mounted adjacent to said plunger, said second lever having a slot engaged with a close fit by said pin whereby said second lever is forced off center in either of two directions according to the energization of said coils; and a second bank of spring contacts including a third set and a fourth set arranged adjacent to said second lever and being adapted to be engaged and retained in engagement for the duration of the operation of said plunger by said coils and to return to a disengaged position immediately upon de-energization of said coils.

2. A double action relay as claimed in claim 1, said first set and said second set each including a stationary contact spring and a movable contact spring moved into and out of contact with said stationary contact spring by said first lever, said third set and said fourth set each including a first stationary contact spring, a second stationary contact spring, and a single pole double throw contact spring moved into and out of contact with said first and second stationary contact springs by said second lever, said first coil being electrically connected to said able contact spring of said first set and said second stationary contact spring of said third set, said second coil being electrically connected to said movable contact spring of said second set and said stationary contact spring of said fourth set, said stationary contact springs of said first set and said second set being electrically connected, respectively, to said first stationary contacts of said fourth set and said third set; and an impulse carrying conductor connected to said single pole double throw contact springs of said third set and said fourth set, whereby said coils are alternately connected to said impulse conductor over said contact springs in response to the motion of said plunger.

ROY E. WELLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

